Standing there with cabbage in hand, I was uncertain which kind of cole-slaw would complement the dish we were having – a main of spicy stir-fried rice with ginger and sesame. Somehow cole-slaw fixed with mayonnaise just didn’t cut it. After putting the question out into the open someone suggested peanuts. They remembered having a cabbage salad with them in Nepal. Hmm, peanuts? Could be a plan…there was a dressing I used to make that might work perfectly. I guess it did because Gyosei remarked after lunch; That’s one for the blog!

Ingredients

225 g (3 cups grated) domestic green cabbage
200 g (2 cups grated) carrots
½ teaspoon salt
70 g (½ cup) roasted peanuts
2 stems green onions

Dressing

1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon sambal oelek, or chilli flakes to taste
Salt to taste

Method

• Fine shred the cabbage using either a mandolin; a cheese slicer; or knife and combine with the salt. Leave to rest for twenty minutes or until the cabbage starts to wilt. Rinse and drain well to dry.
• Peel and grate the carrots.
• Roughly chop the peanuts.
• Slice the green onions into thin rings.
• To make the dressing; combine all the dressing ingredients and whizz with an immersion blender, or beat until smooth with a whisk.
• Finally, combine the dressing with the cabbage, carrots, peanuts, and green onions.
• Salt to taste.
• Tip: Try adding a handful of chopped fresh coriander for an even fresher taste.